Nestlé Peppermint Crisp
This is the last of my current batch of South African chocolate, and probably my favourite. Peppermint Crisp is a bar of Nestlé milk chocolate with a crispty Kryptonite “peppermint crackle” centre.
While the filling resembles something that would make Superman want to curl up and die, it’s actually just sugar. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it in a chocolate bar.
The peppermint in a peppermint crisp comes in the form of long thin tubes of luminous green sugar that run the length of the bar. In terms of flavour, it closely resembles a stick of rock, but because there’s so much air trapped inside, it’s crispy and crunchy rather than solid like rock.
The effect is quite bizarre. First it’s a little like biting into shards of glass, then you get the minty hit, then the chocolate, then the “shards” start to go chewy.
The milk chocolate itself is standard Nestlé fare. The flavour is nothing to write home about, but it’s largely overtaken by the mintyness from the real peppermint oil that flavours the bar anyway. But I don’t think you’d be buying this bar for the chocolate, anyway. You’d buy it for the completely unique texture.
This is one of those bars that you’re either going to love or hate (or cut the inside of your mouth to shreds on). Personally I love it because I’ve not seen anything else quite like it – and when you’ve been reviewing chocolate for two years, that’s quite refreshing.
Posted by Dom on 03 Jun 2008 at 09:06 AM
| 9 Comments
Filed in Misc under milk, mint, nestle, peppermint, south africa
June 4, 2008 : 12:34am
We have them in Australia too – the shattered mint mix is always the last thing stuck in your teeth after the chocolate’s all eaten!
June 6, 2008 : 10:46pm
Unlurking to say that there used to be something like this in the UK in the seventies- can’t remember what it was called (Mint Cracknel perhaps?) Anyway, my nana used to crumble it up over vanilla icecream and it was fantastic, although it did stick in your teeth a bit.
June 7, 2008 : 1:18pm
Kay: I vaguely remember something similar. I’m sure it was wonderful on ice cream – Crunchie is good for that too…
October 21, 2008 : 2:18pm
I’m from South Africa – as kids we used to bite off each end of a peppermint crisp and use it as a straw to drink a glass of milk. As you drink the shards melt, flavouring the milk minty, and at the end you’re left with a yummy chocolate shell..
October 22, 2008 : 9:30am
I was born in South africa (now living in england) and it’s still a great treat when my uncle sends me a box of these :-)
December 18, 2008 : 3:45pm
Let me tell you the secret about the Nestlé Peppermint Crisp. What you do is you bite both ends and dip it into some cold milk then you suck the milk up through the mint like a straw. It’s so AWESOME and the kids will love it…. I always did this growing up. And love to share the secret of the Crisp…
I live in the States and I’m passionate about Chocolate. I also haven’t had one in about 12 years.
October 10, 2009 : 1:28pm
Kay – the Peppermint Crisp is indeed what we had in the UK in the 70s as Rowntree’s (or was it Mackintosh’s?) Mint Cracknel. The bar is a different shape, but the shattery crispy innards are the same. I miss that stuff, it was my favourite bar as a kid. I really wish Nestle would reintroduce it here, but it seems they don’t think the market is there.
October 18, 2009 : 11:11pm
you can buy these nestle’s peppermint crisp from sanza shop for £1.25 per 2piece bar. they don’t take long to arrive and are just lovely!!Mmmm
October 20, 2009 : 8:31am
I have just found out I’m highly allergic to Sodium Benzoate. Kindly let me know by e-mail whether your vanilla ice cream has sodim benzoate. Have to check everything so kept rather busy!!!
Many thanks
Fran Hall (Cape Town)